How To- Ensure Your Final Wishes are Followed

Are you prepared for death?

Only 42% of US adults have a will. That number drops to 36% for adults with minor children. These numbers are similar in Canada (49%). I could not find the numbers for other parts of the world, but would expect them to be similar.

Familiarize yourself with inheritance law in your state, provence, or country of residence. It may not be as simple as you might expect.

For example, most US citizens who die without a will will have their estate (all of your belongings) pass to the first living person in this order:
(1) your spouse
(2) your children
(3) your parents
(4) your siblings
(5) your grandparents
(6) aunts, uncles, cousins, and so on

What about your final wishes?

The law does not care if you were estranged from someone or had other ideas of where you wanted your belongings to go. It will follow this order until it finds someone alive to give it to.

Creating a will may be as simple as writing out your wishes and having it witnessed and/or notarized. Or you may need to hire an estate attorney to ensure your wishes are followed. You may or may not need to file your will in the county where you reside.

Make sure you give copies of your will to those who need to have it (ie: your Executor or Executrix) and leave a copy where it will be easily accessed. For example, safe deposit boxes may not be readily available directly after your death.

For more information, google is a great resource for finding articles by estate attorneys in your area. Or you can reach out directly to them. Many attorneys will offer a free consultation to help you determine the best course of action for your situation.

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